Monday, April 9, 2012

On DT, whitewater, Bubba and Panthers

A handful of interesting sports-related links and other stuff for your Monday morning:

-- It was 34 years ago today when perhaps the most sensational single-season NBA scoring race ever came to an end. David Thompson barely trailed George Gervin going into the final day of the season. With his teammates feeding him the ball constantly, DT scored 73 points in an afternoon game. But Gervin's teammates did the same thing that night, and "Ice" scored 63 -- just enough to retain his lead.

Thompson, the former N.C. State star who now lives in Charlotte, told me once that while his amazing jumping ability was God-given, he also worked on it constantly as a youth.

-- If you haven't seen it yet, The Observer's Ron Green Jr's story on Bubba Watson's win in the Masters Sunday is really worth a read. Ron is one of the best golf writers in America.

-- I wrote a story today about David Hepp, a whitewater canoeist who at age 38 has come out of retirement with the hope of finally making an Olympic team. Four years before, I first met Hepp when I did a first-person story on how it really felt to go down the competition channel at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Hepp, then retired, was my guide. It was a blast, even though we crashed.

-- My second story today was a column about the Bobcats, who are on an 11-game losing streak with 12 games to play in this lost season. A depressing subject, to be sure.

-- The NFL regular-season schedule will be announced soon, and I expect the Panthers to have 1-2 prime-time games given their higher, Cam Newton-enhanced profile. Among the possibilities: The Panthers vs. Washington (which might be starting RGIII by then), the Panthers vs. Denver (Peyton Manning and John Fox come to Charlotte) or either Panther game vs. New Orleans.

-- If you need an NFL draft fix, the excellent Peter King of Sports Illustrated opens his always good "Monday Morning Quarterback" column with a few thousand words on the big event that starts Thursday, April 26th.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

The main point you drove home in your Bobcats article was that, contrary to the homers, one rookie...no matter how fantastic in college, will not automatically change the fortunes of a lousy team. When you gut and totally rebuild in the NBA, you are talking about a 7-10 year plan. Just when you get that rookie playing well in several years, he'll ask to be traded and the circus begins again. I do think it is a commentary on today's NBA athlete (and maybe all young pro athletes) that Michael Jordan, just by virtue of his incredible playing success, can't motivate a couple of stars into wanting to come to Charlotte. The kids just don't care.

Anonymous said...

Mike traded all is good players away and he'll probably blame Paul for it. I can only have sympathy for Paul for having such terrible owner/boss.

John said...

Anonymous 9:43,

What are YOU smoking? Or do you even know what you were trying to say?

Anonymous said...

vs. Eagles and Vick will be prime time. RG3 is the next Akili Smith. Never have I seen a more overhyped athlete.

Anonymous said...

Vick vs Newton is a good matchup, two similar athletes and backgrounds there.

let the rumble begin!

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:43am...you're a tool..By the way, the Panthers will be 2-0 versus the Saints this year. Holla!

Cam's honest daddy said...

The Panthers will be 2-0 against the Saints? LOL Smoke another one.

The Panthers will be what they always are, right around .500 with a couple of good wins and a few horrible losses. Until the Big Rat is gone, this team has no shot at the big time.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:09am...you're a moron...The Saints will be the bottom feeders of the NFC South this year...Cam will light them up!

Anonymous said...

if scott is writing Bobcat articles and Bonnell hasn't posted in a week (and doesn't / not permitted to attend away games, what has Bonnell been up to?

Anonymous said...

Scott you are blessed with the dumbest followers on the planet.